Asalam alaykum Dear Brothers and Sisters
Muslims believe that when Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) was commanded to sacrifice his son, this was a test of his submission to God.

Prophet Abraham was commanded to offer the dearest and most precious thing to his heart, his son Ismail (peace be upon him) as a sacrifice to Allah (God). After both Prophet Abraham and the young Ismail showed incredible forbearance and wisdom in willing to submit to the command of God, they passed the test, and God commanded Prophet Abraham to slaughter an animal instead.

Although it may be hard to comprehend the wisdom behind testing a prophet who had already dedicated his life in serving his Lord, looking at the bigger picture, one sees that the test was meant for a much wider audience.

Abraham, this great prophet of God, set an example of submission that Muslims continue to try to live up to thousands of years later. That example is, one should give of what one has to others, not out of guilt, not out of pity, but out of the sincere belief that what one mistakenly believes one owns, actually belongs to God alone, for the universe and everything in it belongs entirely to the Creator and Lord of the worlds.

Giving of what you have to the needy plays a central role in Islam. Aside from being one of the five pillars of Islam which is alms giving, Muslims are also commanded to help the poor on a regular basis outside of the obligatory required monetary charity.

God says in the Quran:

{O Prophet, tell those of My servants who believe that they should establish Prayer and spend out of what We have provided them with, both secretly and openly, before there arrives the Day when there will be no bargaining.} (14:31)

Muslims believe, based on the Quran, that wealth is distributed according to God’s will and wisdom.

God says in the Quran what means:

{Say: Surely my Lord enlarges the means of subsistence for whom He pleases, and narrows [for whom He pleases], but most men do not know.} (34:36)

Based on this knowledge, in Islam there is no notion that the poor are being punished by God because of some wrong-doing they have committed, or that wealth is a sign that God is pleased with the wealthy. Rather, we are all tested in different ways; the needy in their endurance of their plight, and the wealthy in their attachment to their wealth. Thus, the reasons for charity outlined in the Quran and prophetic tradition include:

1- Love of the poor: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught Muslims to love the poor when he said:

“O Allah, grant me life as a poor man, cause me to die as a poor man and resurrect me in the company of the poor … because (the poor) will enter Paradise (before) the rich. Do not turn away a poor man even if all you can give is half a date. If you love the poor and bring them near you, God will bring you near Him on the Day of Resurrection.” (At-Tirmidhi)

2- To prove one’s lack of attachment to material wealth. God says in the Quran what means,

{You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah). Allah knows whatever you spend.} (3:92)

But beneath these reasons lies an underlying theme: social solidarity. The term “social solidarity” implies unity of purpose, and the common purpose in this case is social justice.

This solidarity for justice is derived from the social objectives of Islam. Islam doesn’t only focus on the spiritual side of life, but also on the social side. Each of the five pillars of Islam has a personal and a public aspect.

The Shahadah (testimony of faith) is in essence a belief of the heart, but for full conversion to Islam must be uttered in front of a group of witnesses, which inspires and rejuvenates their faith and creates a sense of community.

Prayer is one’s personal communication with God, but is encouraged to be done in congregation where the rich prays side by side with the poor, the black side by side with the white, and the powerful side by side with the powerless.

Alms-giving should be done in private such that one’s left hand does not know what one’s right hand is giving, but should also occasionally be done in public to set an example for the community.

Fasting is an individual exercise in disciplining one’s lower desires, but it is also to experience the feeling of not being able to eat or drink all day, which is the norm for many poor people.

Hajj is a personal journey to a blessed place, but the rules of hajj state that everyone must be dressed in the same plain white garment, so that a president is indistinguishable from a beggar.

Striving for that balance between individual spirituality and public benefit is at the heart of Islam. Therefore, Muslims are told not only to give monetary charity, but to also stand in solidarity with the poor by providing long-term assistance to the needy, and to never use that assistance to their own advantage.

God says in the Quran:

{Have you seen him who calls the religion a lie? That is the one who repels the orphan and encourages not the feeding of the needy.} (107:1-3; also 2:262-64)

The Quran also consistently commands Muslims to always promote social justice, even if at their own expense:

{O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even if against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you swerve, and if you distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.} (4:135)

These injunctions are further reinforced by the sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad, such as:

“Anyone who looks after and works for a widow or a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah’s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night.” (Al-Bukhari, 6006)

Social solidarity should be the essence of the spirit of any Muslim society. However, human beings tend to forget and so Eid al-Adha comes as a yearly reminder that poor people in the community have a right over the wealthy.

Even if one can afford nothing but a seed, one should go ahead and plant that seed and it will still be counted as charity, as Prophet Muhammad said:

“If any Muslim plants something or sows seed from which a man, a bird or an animal eats, it counts as a charity for him.” (Al-Bukhari, 2320)"